US20120128025A1 - System and method for integrating sensors in thermostats - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided according to one or more embodiments is a thermostat having a housing, the housing including a forward-facing surface, the thermostat comprising a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor disposed inside the housing for sensing occupancy in the vicinity of the thermostat. The PIR motion sensor has a radiation receiving surface and is able to detect the lateral movement of an occupant in front of the forward-facing surface of the housing. The thermostat further comprises a grille member having one or more openings and included along the forward-facing surface of the housing, the grille member being placed over the radiation receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor. The grille member is configured and dimensioned to visually conceal and protect the PIR motion sensor disposed inside the housing, the visual concealment promoting a visually pleasing quality of the thermostat, while at the same time permitting the PIR motion sensor to effectively detect the lateral movement of the occupant. In one embodiment, the grille member openings are slit-like openings oriented along a substantially horizontal direction.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 13/033,573 filed Feb. 23, 2011, which is incorporated by reference herein. The subject matter of this patent specification relates to the subject matter of the following commonly assigned applications: U.S. Ser. No. 12/881,430 filed Sep. 14, 2010; U.S. Ser. No. 12/881,463 filed Sep. 14, 2010; U.S. Prov. Ser. No. 61/415,771 filed Nov. 19, 2010; U.S. Prov. Ser. No. 61/429,093 filed Dec. 31, 2010; U.S. Ser. No. 12/984,602 filed Jan. 4, 2011; U.S. Ser. No. 12/987,257 filed Jan. 10, 2011; U.S. Ser. No. 29/386,021 filed Feb. 23, 2011; U.S. Ser. No. 13/034,666 filed Feb. 24, 2011; U.S. Ser. No. 13/034,674 filed Feb. 24, 2011; and U.S. Ser. No. 13/034,678 filed Feb. 24, 2011; U.S. Ser. No. 13/038,191 filed Mar. 1, 2011; and U.S. Ser. No. 13/038,206 filed March 1, 2011. Each of the above-referenced patent applications is incorporated by reference herein. The above-referenced patent applications are collectively referenced hereinbelow as “the commonly assigned incorporated applications.”
TECHNICAL FIELD
• This patent specification relates to system monitoring and control, such as the monitoring and control of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. More particularly, this patent specification relates to systems and methods that facilitate the integration of one or more sensors in a monitoring and control device, such as a thermostat, in a manner that protects and hides the sensors from view while also preserving and/or enhancing the effectiveness of their sensing functionality.
BACKGROUND
• Substantial effort and attention continues toward the development of newer and more sustainable energy supplies. The conservation of energy by increased energy efficiency remains crucial to the world's energy future. According to an October 2010 report from the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling account for 56% of the energy use in a typical U.S. home, making it the largest energy expense for most homes. Along with improvements in the physical plant associated with home heating and cooling (e.g., improved insulation, higher efficiency furnaces), substantial increases in energy efficiency can be achieved by better control and regulation of home heating and cooling equipment. By activating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment for judiciously selected time intervals and carefully chosen operating levels, substantial energy can be saved while at the same time keeping the living space suitably comfortable for its occupants.
• It would be beneficial, at both a societal level and on a per-home basis, for a large number of homes to have their existing older thermostats replaced by newer, microprocessor controlled “intelligent” thermostats having more advanced HVAC control capabilities that can save energy while also keeping the occupants comfortable. To do this, these thermostats will need more information from the occupants as well as the environments where the thermostats are located. Sensors in the home will gather real-time and historic data, such as occupancy data, to be used by thermostat to automate the HVAC controls. By analyzing this data, thermostats will make decisions on heating, cooling and saving energy. For at least this reason, it is important to make sure sensors used by thermostats produce accurate data. At the same time, however, there is a tension that can arise between increasing the number and kinds of sensors on the thermostat, on the one hand, while also provisioning the thermostat with a reasonably compact and visually pleasing form factor, on the other hand, for increasing the overall appeal of the intelligent thermostat to the purchasing public.
SUMMARY
• Provided according to one or more embodiments is a thermostat having a housing, the housing including a forward-facing surface, the thermostat comprising a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor disposed inside the housing for sensing occupancy in the vicinity of the thermostat. The PIR motion sensor has a radiation receiving surface and is able to detect the lateral movement of an occupant in front of the forward-facing surface of the housing. The thermostat further comprises a grille member having one or more openings and included along the forward-facing surface of the housing, the grille member being placed over the radiation receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor. The grille member is configured and dimensioned to visually conceal and protect the PIR motion sensor disposed inside the housing, the visual concealment promoting a visually pleasing quality of the thermostat, while at the same time permitting the PIR motion sensor to effectively detect the lateral movement of the occupant. In one embodiment, the grille member openings are slit-like openings oriented along a substantially horizontal direction.
• In one embodiment a temperature sensor is also positioned behind the grille member, the temperature sensor also being visually concealed behind the grille member. In one embodiment the grille member is formed from a thermally conductive material such as a metal, and the temperature sensor is placed in thermal communication with the metallic grille, such as by using a thermal paste or the like. Advantageously, in addition to exposing the temperature sensor to ambient room air by virtue of the grille openings, the metallic grille member can further improve temperature sensing performance by acting as a sort of “thermal antenna” for the temperature sensor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary enclosure using a thermostat implemented in accordance with aspects of the present invention for controlling one or more environmental conditions;
• FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system controlled using a thermostat designed in accordance with implementations of the present invention;
• FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate a grille member affixed to a forward-facing surface of a thermostat designed in accordance with implementations of the present invention;
• FIGS. 4A-B illustrate a user's hand controlling a thermostat designed in accordance with implementations of the present invention;
• FIGS. 5A-5G illustrate a thermostat in various states of disassembly and the position of a grille member designed in accordance with the present invention in relationship to sensors and other components associated with the thermostat;
• FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of partially assembled head unit front from the thermostat showing the positioning of sensors in relation to the grille member designed in accordance with aspects of the present invention;
• FIG. 7A-7B illustrates infrared sources interacting with the slit-like openings in a grille member designed in accordance with the present invention;
• FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate altering the openings of a grille member along a vertical distance to change the sensitivity of a PIR motion sensor in accordance with aspects of the present invention; and
• FIG. 9 is flow chart diagram that outlines the operations associated with integrating sensor capabilities with a thermostat and grille member in accordance with aspects of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various implementations of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that these various implementations of the present invention are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Other implementations of the present invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure.
• In addition, for clarity purposes, not all of the routine features of the implementations described herein are shown or described. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily appreciate that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions may be required to achieve specific design objectives. These design objectives will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine engineering undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
• It is to be appreciated that while one or more implementations are described further herein in the context of typical HVAC system used in a residential home, such as single-family residential home, the scope of the present teachings is not so limited. More generally, thermostats according to one or more of the preferred implementations are applicable for a wide variety of enclosures having one or more HVAC systems including, without limitation, duplexes, townhomes, multi-unit apartment buildings, hotels, retail stores, office buildings and industrial buildings. Further, it is to be appreciated that while the terms user, customer, installer, homeowner, occupant, guest, tenant, landlord, repair person, and the like may be used to refer to the person or persons who are interacting with the thermostat or other device or user interface in the context of one or more scenarios described herein, these references are by no means to be considered as limiting the scope of the present teachings with respect to the person or persons who are performing such actions.
• FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary enclosure using athermostat110 implemented in accordance with the present invention for controlling one or more environmental conditions. For example,enclosure100 illustrates a single-family dwelling type ofenclosure using thermostat110 for the control of heating and cooling provided by anHVAC system120. Alternate implementations of the present invention may be used with other types of enclosures including a duplex, an apartment within an apartment building, a light commercial structure such as an office or retail store, or a structure or enclosure that is a combination of these and other types of enclosures.
• Some implementations ofthermostat110 inFIG. 1 incorporate one or more sensors to gather data from the environment associated withenclosure100. Sensors incorporated inthermostat110 may detect occupancy, temperature, light and other environmental conditions and influence the control and operation ofHVAC system120.Thermostat110 uses a grille member (not shown inFIG. 1) implemented in accordance with the present invention to cover the sensors. In part, the grille member of the present invention adds to the appeal and attraction of thethermostat110 as the sensors inthermostat110 do not protrude, or attract attention from occupants ofenclosure100 and thethermostat110 fits with almost any decor. Keeping sensors withinthermostat110 also reduces the likelihood of damage and loss of calibration during manufacture, delivery, installation or use ofthermostat110. Yet despite covering these sensors, the specialized design of the grille member facilitates accurately gathering occupancy, temperature and other data from the environment. Further details on this design and other aspects of the grille member are also described in detail later herein.
• In some implementations,thermostat110 may wirelessly communicate withremote device112 gathering information remotely from the user and from the environment detectable by theremote device112. For example, theremote device112 can wirelessly communicate with thethermostat110 providing user input from the remote location ofremote device112 or may be used to display information to a user, or both. Likethermostat110, implementations ofremote device112 may also include sensors to gather data related to occupancy, temperature, light and other environmental conditions. A grille member (not shown inFIG. 1) designed in accordance with the present invention may also be used to conceal these sensors maintaining an attractive and pleasing appearance of theremote device112 within theenclosure100. In an alternate implementation,remote device112 may also be located outside of theenclosure100.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system controlled using a thermostat designed in accordance with implementations of the present invention.HVAC system120 provides heating, cooling, ventilation, and/or air handling for an enclosure, such as a single-family home100 depicted inFIG. 1.System120 depicts a forced air type heating and cooling system, although according to other implementations, other types of HVAC systems could be used such as radiant heat based systems, heat-pump based systems, and others.
• In heating, heating coils orelements242 withinair handler240 provide a source of heat using electricity or gas vialine236. Cool air is drawn from the enclosure viareturn air duct246 throughfilter270, usingfan238 and is heated through heating coils orelements242. The heated air flows back into the enclosure at one or more locations via supplyair duct system252 and supply air registers such asregister250. In cooling, anoutside compressor230 passes a gas such as Freon through a set of heat exchanger coils244 to cool the gas. The gas then goes throughline232 to the cooling coils234 in theair handler240 where it expands, cools and cools the air being circulated viafan238. Ahumidifier254 may optionally be included in various implementations that returns moisture to the air before it passes throughduct system252. Although not shown inFIG. 2, alternate implementations ofHVAC system120 may have other functionality such as venting air to and from the outside, one or more dampers to control airflow within theduct system252 and an emergency heating unit. Overall operation ofHVAC system120 is selectively actuated bycontrol electronics212 communicating withthermostat110 overcontrol wires248.
• FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate a grille member incorporated in a thermostat designed in accordance with implementations of the present invention.Thermostat110 includes control circuitry and is electrically connected to an HVAC system, such asHVAC system120 shown inFIG. 1 andFIG. 2. The design of agrille member324 compliments the sleek, simple, uncluttered and elegant design ofthermostat110 while facilitating the integration and operation of sensors located within ahousing346 of the thermostat. In the implementation as illustrated,thermostat110 is enclosed byhousing346 with a forward-facing surface including acover314 and thegrille member324. Some implementations ofhousing346 include abackplate340 and ahead unit310.Housing346 provides an attractive and durable configuration for one or more integrated sensors used bythermostat110 and contained therein. In some implementations,grille member324 may be flush-mounted with thecover314 on the forward-facing surface ofhousing346. Togethergrille member324 as incorporated inhousing346 does not detract from home or commercial decor, and indeed can serve as a visually pleasing centerpiece for the immediate location in which it is located.
• Acentral display area316 ofcover314 allows information related to the operation of the thermostat to be displayed while anouter area326 ofcover314 may be made opaque using a paint or smoke finish. For example,central display area316 may be used to display a current temperature as illustrated inFIG. 3A with the numerals, “75” indicating 75 degrees.
• Grille member324 is designed to conceal sensors from view promoting a visually pleasing quality of the thermostat yet permitting them to receive their respective signals.Openings318 ingrille member324 along the forward-facing surface of the housing allow signals to pass through that would otherwise not pass throughcover314. For example, glass, polycarbonate or other similar materials used forcover314 are capable of transmitting visible light but are highly attenuating to infrared energy having longer wavelengths in the range of 10 microns, which is the radiation band of operation for many passive infrared (PIR) occupancy sensors. Notably, included in the thermostat according to some preferred implementations is an ambient light sensor (not shown) and an active proximity sensor (not shown) positioned near the top of the thermostat just behind thecover314. Unlike PIR sensors, the ambient light sensor and active proximity sensor are configured to detect electromagnetic energy in the visible and shorter-infrared spectrum bands having wavelengths less than 1 micron, for which the glass or polycarbonate materials of thecover314 are not highly attenuating. In some implementations,grille member324 includesopenings318 in accordance with one or more implementations that allow the longer-wavelength infrared radiation to pass through the openings towards a passive infrared (PIR)motion sensor330 as illustrated. Becausegrille member324 is mounted over the radiation receiving surface ofPIR motion sensor330,PIR motion sensor330 continues to receive the longer wavelength infrared radiation through theopenings318 and detect occupancy in an enclosure.
• Additional implementations ofgrille member324 also facilitate additional sensors to detect other environmental conditions. In some implementations,grille member324 helps atemperature sensor334 situated inside ofhousing346 measure the ambient temperature of air.Openings318 ingrille member324 promote air flow towardstemperature sensor334 located belowgrille member324 thus conveying outside temperatures to the interior ofhousing346. In further implementations,grille member324 may be thermally coupled totemperature sensor334 promoting a transfer of heat from outside thehousing346. Details on the operation ofgrille member324 with these and other sensors are described in further detail later herein.
• Implementations ofthermostat110 are circular in shape and have anouter ring312 for receiving user input. Side view ofthermostat110 inFIG. 3B further highlights this curved spherical shape ofcover314 andgrille member324 gently arcing outward matching the corresponding surface portion ofouter ring312. In some implementations, the curvature ofcover314 may tend to magnify information displayed incentral display area316 thus making information easier to read by users. The shape ofthermostat110 not only provides a visually appealing accent when it is mounted on the wall but a natural shape for users to touch and adjust with their hands. Accordingly, the diameter ofthermostat110 may be approximately 80 mm or another diameter that readily fits the hand. In various implementations, rotatingouter ring312 allows the user to make adjustments, such as selecting a new target temperature. For example, the target temperature may be increased by rotating theouter ring312 clockwise and decreased by rotating theouter ring312 counter-clockwise.
• Preferably,outer ring312 is mechanically mounted in a manner that provides a smooth yet viscous feel to the user, for further promoting an overall feeling of elegance while also reducing spurious or unwanted rotational inputs. According to various implementations,outer ring312 rotates on plastic bearings and uses an optical digital encoder to measure the rotational movement and/or rotational position of theouter ring312. In accordance with alternate implementations, other technologies such as mounting theouter ring312 on a central shaft may be employed.
• In accordance with implementations of the present invention, vents342 facilitate ventilation throughgap332 between theouter ring312 and the body ofhead unit310; throughgap344 between thehead unit310 and thebackplate340, and into thebackplate340 viavents342. Some of this air flow may also pass throughopenings318 and over sensors concealed bygrille member324. In general, air circulation throughgaps332,344,openings318 andvents342 serve at least two purposes. Firstly, the air circulation allows the ambient air to reach one or more sensors located inside the thermostat. Secondly, the air circulation allows electronics inthermostat110 to cool such that heat from the electronics does not significantly effect the sensing of the ambient air characteristics. Aside fromopenings318, other entrance areas for air circulation such asgap332,gap344 andvents342 are visually hidden from the user as shown inFIGS. 3A-3B, thus allowing for a simple, visually uncluttered design that facilitates ease of use by users. Optional implementations of the present invention further include a locking mechanism that is engaged via turning the screw head322 a quarter turn.
• FIGS. 4A-B illustrate a user's hand controlling a thermostat designed in accordance with implementations of the present invention. As illustrated,thermostat110 is wall-mounted, circular in shape and has a rotatableouter ring312 for receiving user input. Cover314 onthermostat110 includescentral display area316 for providing information and feedback to the user before, during and after operatingthermostat110. In some implementations,outer area326 ofcover314 delineates an area for the user to push or otherwise manipulatethermostat110 and thus is made opaque with paint or smoke finish. In accordance with the present invention,grille member324 provides an additional area that the user may rest their hand while viewing oroperating thermostat110. It can be appreciated thatgrille member324 protects sensors from the user's hand yet allows the sensors to receive signals and gather information on the environment.
• Head unit310 ofthermostat110 slides on to backplate (not shown) and further includeshead unit front402 andhead unit frame404. Thehead unit front402 includesouter ring312,central display area316 andouter area326 ofcover314 andgrille member324 designed in accordance with implementations of the present invention. A portion of the electronics and sensors (not shown) inthermostat110 are also included withinhead unit front402.
• According to some implementations, for the combined purposes of inspiring user confidence and further promoting visual and functional elegance, thethermostat110 is controlled by only two types of user input, the first being a rotation of theouter ring312 as illustrated inFIG. 4A (also referred to as a “rotate ring”), and the second being an inward push on thehead unit front402 until an audible and/or tactile “click” occurs as illustrated inFIG. 4B. According to some implementations, the inward push illustrated inFIG. 4B only causes theouter ring312 to move forward, while in other implementations the entirehead unit front402 moves inwardly together when pushed. In some implementations,cover314 andgrille member324 do not rotate withouter ring312.
• According to some implementations, multiple types of user input may be generated depending on the way a pushing inward ofhead unit front402 is effectuated. In some implementations a single brief push inward ofhead unit front402 until the audible and/or tactile click occurs followed by a release (single click) can be interpreted as one type of user input (also referred to as an “inward click”). In other implementations, pushing thehead unit front402 in and holding with an the inward pressure for an amount of time such as 1-3 seconds can be interpreted as another type of user input (also referred to as a “press and hold”). According to some further implementations, other types of user input can be effectuated by a user such as double and/or multiple clicks, and pressing and holding for longer and/or shorter periods of time. According to other implementations, speed-sensitive or acceleration-sensitive rotational inputs may also be implemented to create further types of user inputs (e.g., a very large and fast leftward rotation specifies an “Away” occupancy state, while a very large and fast rightward rotation specifies an “Occupied” occupancy state).
• FIGS. 5A-5G illustrate a thermostat in various states of disassembly and the position ofgrille member324 designed in accordance with the present invention as it relates to sensors and other components. The disassembled view ofthermostat110 inFIG. 5A illustrateshead unit310 slidably removed frombackplate340. In this configuration, it can be appreciated thatbackplate340 can function as a wall dock to the balance of thethermostat110 contained inhead unit310 thereby contributing to ease of installation, configuration and upgrading, according to some implementations. For example, in such implementations a new, upgraded or refurbishedhead unit310 may be placed over an existingbackplate340 without requiring rewiring or remounting ofthermostat110 on the wall.
• As previously illustrated and described,thermostat110 is wall mounted having a circular shape androtatable ring312 for receiving user input.Thermostat110 has acover314 that includes acentral display area316 andouter area326.Head unit310 portion ofthermostat110 slides onto and is affixed to backplate340. According to some implementations the connection of thehead unit310 to backplate340 can be accomplished using magnets, bayonet, latches and catches, tabs or ribs with matching indentations, or simply friction on mating portions of thehead unit310 andbackplate340.
• According to some implementations, a locking mechanism is optionally provided wherein apost502 on thebackplate340 is engaged by a quarter turn of a latch using a flat head screw head or other type of screw heads connected with the latch. For example, a less common type of screw head such as a hex or torx may be used to provide greater security and deter removal ofhead unit310 whenthermostat110 is installed in public locations. According to some implementations, thehead unit310 includes aprocessing system504,display driver508 and awireless communications system510. Theprocessing system504 is adapted to cause thedisplay driver508 andcentral display area316 to display information to the user, and to receiver user input via therotating ring312. Theprocessing system504, according to some implementations, is capable of maintaining and updating a thermodynamic model for the enclosure in which the HVAC system is installed. For further detail on the thermodynamic modeling, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/881,463 filed Sep. 14, 2010, which is incorporated by reference herein. According to some implementations, thewireless communications system510 is used to communicate with a combination of devices such as personal computers, other thermostats or remote devices and/or HVAC system components.
• Electronics512 andtemperature sensor514 are ventilated viavents342 inbackplate340. Abubble level516 is provided to aid in correctly orienting thethermostat110 when it is mounting on a wall.Wire connectors518 are provided to allow for connection to HVAC system wires.Connection terminal520 provides electrical connections between thehead unit310 andbackplate340.
• FIGS. 5B-C illustrate a top and bottom view of a thermostat backplate in accordance with implementations of the present invention. Thebackplate340 is mounted on a wall using screws through two openings:round hole522 and slottedhole524. By using a slottedhole524, the user or installer can make small adjustments in the angle of mounting ofbackplate340. As shown inFIG. 5B,backplate340 includesbubble level516 including awindow526 through which the user can check and make a level mounting ofbackplate340 on a wall. The HVAC system wires pass through a largerectangular opening528 and are connected to wireconnectors518. According to some implementations, eight wire connectors are provided as shown inFIG. 5B, and labeled with common HVAC system wire names.
• FIG. 5C illustrates the backside ofbackplate340 facing the wall whenthermostat110 is wall mounted. In one implementation, a temperature sensor514 (which, generally speaking, can be of coarser precision in comparison to the headunit temperature sensor334, although the scope of the present teachings is not so limited) included inbackplate340 which allows thebackplate340 to operate as a functioning thermostat even when thehead unit310 has been removed. For example, theelectronics512 inbackplate340 includes a microcontroller (MCU) processor, and driver circuitry for opening and closing the HVAC control circuits. For example, these control circuits can be used for turning on and turning off the one or more HVAC functions such as heating and cooling. Theelectronics512 also includes flash memory which is used to store the series of programmed settings that take effect at different times of the day. For example, a default set of programmed set point changes in flash memory may be carried out even when thehead unit310 inFIG. 5A is not attached to thebackplate340. According to some implementations, theelectronics512 also includes power harvesting circuitry so as to obtain power from the HVAC control circuit(s) even when an HVAC common power wire is not available.
• FIGS. 5D-5E illustrates a perspective view of thehead unit310 portion of thethermostat110 assembled as a single component and disassembled into multiple subcomponents. In the assembled single component illustrated inFIG. 5D,head unit310 includes ahead unit front402 andhead unit frame404.Head unit310 inFIG. 5D is conveniently designed to be separated from backplate (not shown) and facilitates easy repair, replacement or upgrades to the electronics, firmware and software in thehead unit310. For example, the thermostat may be upgraded by removinghead unit310 from the backplate and replacing with an upgraded ornew head unit310.
• As illustrated inFIG. 5E,head unit front402 may further be disassembled intogrille member324,cover314, head unitfrontal assembly530 andouter ring312. Head unitfrontal assembly530 is slidably mounted and secured to headunit frame404 urgingouter ring312 to be held between the head unitfrontal assembly530 andhead unit frame404. In some implementations,outer ring312 is rotatable and receives user inputs through clockwise or counterclockwise rotations while head unitfrontal assembly530 remains fixed in position.
• Cover314 fits over and protectsdisplay module532, which is used to display information to a user viewing the thermostat. As an example, information displayed bydisplay module532 may include a current temperature such as a temperature of 75 degrees displayed bydisplay module532 in thecentral display area316 inFIG. 3A. In other implementations,display module532 may also display a variety of other information to the user including setpoints, configuration information, diagnostics and thermostat programming details.Display module532 in accordance with some implementations is a dot-matrix layout (individually addressable) such that arbitrary shapes can be generated, rather than being a segmented layout. According to other implementations, a combination of dot-matrix layout and a segmented layout may also be employed bydisplay module532.
• Display module532 may be implemented in accordance with the present invention using a back-lit color liquid crystal display (LCD). According to other implementations,display module532 may use display technologies such as passive and/or monochrome LCD, organic light-emitting diode (OLED), or electronic ink (e-ink) display technology. E-ink is a particularly well suited display technology for some implementations as it continues to reflect light while not drawing power and energy. Additionally, E-ink display technology implemented in accordance with the present invention also conserves energy as it does not require a particularly short refresh time.
• Grille member324 may be used to conceal and protect a number of different sensors in accordance with the present invention. In some implementations, these sensors may include atemperature sensor334 andPIR motion sensor330 sensor integrated with the thermostat. In the implementation illustrated inFIG. 5E,PIR motion sensor330 includes aFresnel lens534 to help direct infrared radiation onto the infrared sensitive elements (not shown inFIG. 5E) of thePIR motion sensor330.Grille member324 acts as a cover yet passes a substantial amount of infrared radiation throughFresnel lens534 and onto the infrared sensitive elements. As will be described in detail later herein, the design ofgrille member324 allowsPIR motion sensor330 to detect occupants movement across a wide range of angles in the vicinity of the thermostat even when covered bygrille member324.
• Likewise,grille member324 may also concealtemperature sensor334 situated near the bottom of edge ofFresnel lens534 as indicated inFIG. 5E. Thegrille member324 helps protect thetemperature sensor334 from being damaged and contributes to the overall streamlined appeal of the thermostat. Additionally, constructinggrille member324 from a heat conducting material, such as metal or a metallic alloy, helps absorb the ambient heat in the vicinity of the thermostat and deliver totemperature sensor334 for a more accurate measurement.
• FIGS. 5F-5G illustrates a perspective view of the head unitfrontal assembly530 appearing as one assembled component and disassembled into multiple subcomponents. In some implementations, head unitfrontal assembly530 includes at least three subcomponents: adisplay module532, a headunit front plate536 and headunit circuit board538.Display module532 serves to display information to a user and may be separated from headunit front plate536 as illustrated.
• In accordance with some implementations, headunit front plate536 is disposed to receivetemperature sensor334 in atemperature sensor slot540. Thetemperature sensor334 is affixed to, and extends approximately normal to the planar surface of headunit circuit board538. In contrast,PIR motion sensor330 is coplanar with the surface of headunit circuit board538 and thus also normal to thetemperature sensor334. When headunit circuit board538 is slidably mounted to the backside of headunit front plate536,temperature sensor334 is urged along the normal to headunit circuit board538 and inserted intotemperature sensor slot540. Likewise, slidably mounting headunit circuit board538 into the backside of headunit front plate536 situates the infraredsensitive elements331 behindFresnel lens534 and making upPIR motion sensor330 as previously illustrated inFIG. 5E andFIG. 3A.
• Perspective view of partially assembledhead unit front402 inFIG. 6 shows the positioning ofgrille member324 designed in accordance with aspects of the present invention with respect to several sensors used by the thermostat. In some implementations,head unit front402 as illustrated inFIG. 6 includes theouter ring312,grille member324 positioned on headunit front assembly530 withcover314 removed as illustrated.Head unit front402 makes up a portion ofhead unit310 andhousing346 illustrated inFIG. 3B, which is used to enclose the thermostat.
• In some implementations,grille member324 covers one or more sensors used by the thermostat and is attached to a forward-facing surface of the housing by way of the headunit front assembly530. The design and position ofgrille member324 creates a smooth, sleek and visually pleasing impression to users while also serving to improve the durability and function of the one or more sensors it conceals. In some implementations, benefits fromgrille member324 may be attributed to a shape ofopenings318, the materials used to makegrille member324 or a positioning ofgrille member324 with respect to one or more sensors, as well as combinations thereof.
• In some implementations, placement ofgrille member324 overPIR motion sensor334 as illustrated inFIG. 6 conceals and protects the sensor. For example,grille member324 may protectPIR motion sensor334 during manufacture, shipping, installation or use from a user's hands operating the thermostat as illustrated inFIGS. 4A and 4B. Concealment not only protects thePIR motion sensor334 but also promotes visually pleasing thermostat suitable for use in a variety of residential and commercial applications.
• In accordance with implementations of the present invention, one ormore openings318 in thegrille member324 design allow thePIR motion sensor334, despite being concealed, to detect the lateral motion of occupants in a room or area. PositioningPIR motion sensor334 along the forward-facing surface of headunit front assembly530 allows the sensor's radiation receiving elements to continue to detect the infrared radiation emitted by these occupants in the vicinity of the thermostat. As described in further detail later herein,PIR motion sensor334 may detect occupants moving laterally due to the shape ofopenings318, which are slit-like and elongated along a substantially horizontal direction. In some implementations, theFresnel lens534 helps focus the radiation from these occupants onto the infrared sensitive sensor elements (not shown inFIG. 6) of thePIR motion sensor334. For example, thegrille member324 has one or more openings placed over the radiation receiving elements andFresnel lens534 of thePIR motion sensor334. Whilegrille member324 may be constructed from a variety of materials including metal, plastic, glass, carbon-composite, and metallic alloy, it is generally preferable for purposes of increased temperature sensing precision for the grille member to be made of a material with a high thermal conductivity, such as a metal or metallic alloy.
• Grille member324 may also enhance the operation of sensors in the thermostat. In some implementations,temperature sensor334 is not only protected but the detection of ambient temperatures is enhanced by placement ofgrille member324. For example, wheregrille member324 is made from a thermally conductive material such as a metal or metallic alloy, it operates as a “thermal antenna” and absorbs ambient temperature from a broader area thantemperature sensor334 could otherwise sample.Temperature sensor334 positioned substantially normal to headunit circuit board538 towardsgrille member324 may be close enough to receive heat absorbed bygrille member324.
• In some implementations, applying a thermallyconductive materials542, such as a paste, thermal adhesive or thermal grease betweentemperature sensor334 and inward facing surface ofgrille member324 improves the thermal conductivity between these two components and the accuracy of the temperature measurement. Thermallycoupling grille member324 withtemperature sensor334assists temperature sensor334 to measure the ambient air temperature outside rather than inside of the housing holding the thermostat.
• Some implementations oftemperature sensor330 may use a pair of thermal sensors to more accurately measure ambient temperature. A first or upperthermal sensor330aassociated withtemperature sensor330 tends to gather temperature data closer to the area outside or on the exterior of the thermostat while a second or lowerthermal sensor330btends to collect temperature data more closely associated with the interior of the housing. In one implementation, the Digital Dual Element Pyroelectric Detector Model PYD-1998 from by Excelitas Corp. of Waltham, Mass. (www.excelitas.com) may be used to provide the pair of thermal sensors used bytemperature sensor330. To more accurately determine the ambient temperature, the temperature taken from the lowerthermal sensor330bis taken into consideration in view of the temperatures measured by the upperthermal sensor330aand when determining the effective ambient temperature. This configuration can advantageously be used to compensate for the effects of internal heat produced in the thermostat by the microprocessor(s) and/or other electronic components therein, thereby obviating or minimizing temperature measurement errors that might otherwise be suffered. In some implementations, the accuracy of the ambient temperature measurement may be further enhanced by thermally coupling upperthermal sensor330aoftemperature sensor330 togrille member324 as the upperthermal sensor330abetter reflects the ambient temperature than lower thermal sensor334b.Details on using a pair of thermal sensors to determine an effective ambient temperature is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,476 issued May 3, 1988 entitled, “Digital Electronic Thermostat With Correction for Triac Self Heating”, by Russo et al. incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
• With exemplary reference toFIGS. 5F-5G andFIG. 6, the mutual positioning and configuration of thegrille member324,Fresnel lens534,PIR sensor330, upperthermal sensor330a,and lowerthermal sensor330bprovides for an advantageous and synergistic combination of physical compactness and visual sensor concealment, along with promoting ambient temperature sensor accuracy and preserving PIR occupancy sensing functionality. In some ways this can be seen as one beneficial outcome of a “dual use” of a key volume of space lying between theFresnel lens534 and the surface of thePIR sensor334, wherein the necessary spacing between theFresnel lens534 and the surface of thePIR sensor334 also serves as the space across which a temperature gradient between the lowerthermal sensor330band upperthermal sensor330ais formed and sensed, this temperature gradient being leveraged to provide better ambient temperature sensing than would be provided by a single-point thermal sensor. In turn, the compactness promoted by the configuration ofelements534/334/330a/330ballows them to be placed behind thegrille324 without the necessity of substantially enlarging the outward protrusion of the overall housing. At the same time, for preferred implementations in which thegrille member324 is metallic and thermally coupled to the upperthermal sensor330a,the high thermal conductivity of thegrille member324 still further enhances the accuracy of temperature measurement by acting as a “thermal antenna,” which is in addition to its other functions of concealment and ambient air access.
• FIG. 7A-7B illustrates in detail how infrared sources interact with slit-like openings in a grille member designed in accordance with the present invention. To highlight the interactions,FIG. 7A illustratesgrille member324 withopenings318 andPIR motion sensor330 positioned behindgrille member324 as it would be in a thermostat designed in accordance with the present invention. In accordance with some implementations,openings318 are slit-like along a substantially horizontal direction as illustrated. Infrared sources may sweep across a continuous wide range of angles such as by the lateral movement an occupant walking across a room or other area. To represented this range,FIG. 7A has arrows representing a leftinfrared source702, a centerinfrared source706 and a rightinfrared source704. For example, an occupant walking across a room in front of a thermostat withgrille member324 may first emit radiation appearing as a leftinfrared source702 then gradually a centerinfrared source706 and then gradually a rightinfrared source704.
• AsFIG. 7A shows schematically, the slit-like openings318 ofgrille member324 allow a wide range of infrared sources to pass through towardsPIR motion sensor330. Both leftinfrared source702 and rightinfrared source704 may pass along the elongatedhorizontal openings318 as indicated by the arrows of these sources. Centerinfrared source706 also passes throughopenings318 ingrille member324 as allowed by the vertical height of one or more of the elongated slits. It therefore can also be appreciated that theopenings318 fromgrille member324 having a slit-like shape allow thePIR motion sensor330 to detect the radiation emitted by an occupant moving laterally across a wide-range of angles near the thermostat. For example,grille member324 can detect an occupant moving on the left side ofgrille member324 as a leftinfrared source702 or on the right side ofgrille member324 as a rightinfrared source704. A person moving approximately in the center ofgrille member324 would appear as a centerinfrared source706 and also pass throughopenings318 towardsPIR motion sensor330. Indeed,grille member324 would also pass many other infrared sources at angles between leftinfrared source702, centerinfrared source706 and rightinfrared source704 throughopenings318 towardsPIR motion sensor330.
• FIG. 7B illustrates the effect of an occupant moving past a PIR motion sensor in a thermostat covered by a grille member of the present invention. The PIR motion sensor (not shown inFIG. 7B) sits behindgrille member324 much likePIR motion sensor330 inFIG. 7A. The PIR motion sensor is capable of detecting a lateral change ofradiation710 caused by a laterally moving source of infrared radiation such as a person walking in a room. To make the occupancy detector work properly, these lateral changes inradiation710 caused by the occupant must be distinguished from overall changes in the infrared radiation caused by sunlight and ambient heat sometimes referred to as the common-mode signal.
• In some implementations, the PIR motion sensor has a pair of differential sensing elements setup with opposing polarity to reject the common-mode signal produced byradiation710. Whenoccupant708 is not present or not moving, sudden overall changes inradiation710 caused by sunlight, heat or vibration produce complimentary signals from the pair of differential sensing elements simultaneously. The complimentary signals from the pair of differential sensing elements immediately cancel out these false-positive or common-mode signals.
• In comparison, anoccupant708 moving laterally in the direction of the arrows inFIG. 7B across a room or other space nearthermostat110 creates a local change inradiation710. The local change inradiation710 is detected and not canceled out with the common-mode signal portion ofradiation710 as the sensing elements are arranged along a horizontal axis and triggered sequentially, not simultaneously, by the lateral movement,. Becauseopenings318 ingrille member324 are slit-like,radiation710 entersthermostat110 and is detected by PIR motion sensor whether theoccupant708 is moving laterally from the far right, far left or laterally near the center area near the thermostat.
• FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate altering the openings of a grille member along a vertical distance to change the sensitivity of a PIR motion sensor in accordance with aspects of the present invention. Generally, the PIR motion sensor's sensitivity to the height of occupants can be changed by varying the vertical span of the openings in a grille member. In accordance with some implementations, agrille member802 illustrated inFIG. 8A is located on a forward-facing surface of thethermostat810 mounted on a wall.Thermostat810 is partially shown inFIG. 8B for convenience yet is similar tothermostat110 described and illustrated inFIG. 3A.Grille member802 inFIG. 8A has several rows ofopenings806, each having a slit-like shape and organized along avertical span804. Accordingly, a PIR motion sensor (not shown inFIGS. 8A-8D) behindgrille member802 used withthermostat810 inFIG. 8B and has an angle ofsensitivity808 or θ₁. If an occupant's height is within the angle ofsensitivity808 then the PIR motion sensor inthermostat810 inFIG. 8B should be able to detect the radiation emitted from the occupant's lateral movement. Conversely, an occupant whose height falls below the angle ofsensitivity808, is not likely to be detected by the PIR motion sensor inthermostat810 inFIG. 8B.
• In accordance with an alternate implementation, sensitivity to height may be decreased as illustrated inFIG. 8C by reducing the number of rows or openings across the vertical span. Compared withgrille member802, the number of rows ofopenings816 ingrille member812 illustrated inFIG. 8C are fewer in number than the rows ofopenings806. Moreover,openings816 ingrille member812 are spread over avertical span814 that is both narrower and positioned higher thanvertical span804 ingrille member802. Consequently, usinggrille member812 inthermostat810 inFIG. 8D results in a narrower angle ofsensitivity818 or θ₂compared with the angle ofsensitivity808 or θ₁previously described. For example, a PIR motion sensor behindgrille member812 onthermostat810 inFIG. 8D will not detect occupants whose height is outside the angle ofsensitivity818 or θ₂. As a result, the same occupants detected bythermostat810 withgrille member802 might not be tall enough to be detected bythermostat810 usinggrille member812. Depending on the installation, it may be more desirable to use a grille member more likegrille member812 in order to limit detection of occupants that are taller in height. To detect occupants that may be shorter in height, use ofgrille member802 inthermostat810 may be more desirable.
• SinceFIGS. 8A-8D are meant to be illustrative, the shape, number, size, organization and location of openings ingrille member802 and812 are but exemplary and used for comparison purposes. Indeed, the designs of grille members of the present invention should not be limited by specific sizes, number of openings, specific shapes or the absolute or relative positions of these or other features.
• In some implementations, different grille members may be manufactured with a different number of openings having slit-like dimensions arranged in one or more rows. For example, aperson installing thermostat810 may select and install different grille members depending on the desired sensitivity to the heights of the occupants and the location of thethermostat810 on a wall or other location. In other implementations, the installer may use a mask member attached to the back openings in the grille member to modify the openings and adjust the sensitivity to height. Instead of manufacturing different grille members, one grille member can be altered using the mask member to cover or uncover the desired number of openings in the grille member. For example, the mask member may be plastic or metal fittings with slit-like dimensions applied to the backside ofgrille member802 that fill one or more ofopenings806. These fittings of the mask member may be finished in the same tone or color as the surface ofgrille member802 in order to blend into the overall appearance of thegrille member802. Accordingly, the sensitivity to the height of occupants may be varied depending on the coverage by the mask member of the substantially horizontal slit-like openings used to pass the emitted radiation to the receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor.
• Referring toFIG. 9, a flow chart diagram outlines the operations associated with integrating sensor capabilities with a thermostat and grille member in accordance with aspects of the present invention. In some implementations, the integration operations include providing a housing for the thermostat designed to provide an attractive and durable configuration for one or more integrated sensors (902). Housing for the thermostat may be housing346 andthermostat110 illustrated inFIG. 3B as previously described. The thermostat is enclosed by the housing with a forward-facing surface for a cover and grille member in accordance with aspects of the present invention. The one or more integrated sensors protected by the housing may include an occupancy sensor such as a PIR motion detector, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a proximity sensor or other sensors that might be useful in operating a thermostat. Placing these and other sensors inside the housing protects them from being accidentally jarred or broken during manufacture, shipping, installation or use. Because sensors are protected inside the housing, they are more likely to retain their calibration and provide accurate measurement results for the thermostat.
• Additionally, the integration operations may also provide a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor disposed inside the housing and used to sense occupancy in the vicinity of the thermostat (904). In some implementations, the PIR motion sensor has a radiation receiving surface able to detect the radiation emitted towards the forward-facing surface of the housing by the lateral movement of a nearby occupant. Occupancy information detected by the PIR motion sensor may be used by the thermostat to better adjust heating or cooling operations of an HVAC in an enclosure such as a residential house. In some implementations, a thermostat may use the occupancy information to turn the HVAC on when occupancy is detected and off when no occupancy is detected by the PIR motion sensor. In alternate implementations, the thermostat may use the occupancy information generated by the PIR motion sensor as part of a heuristic that learns when an enclosure is likely to be occupied or unoccupied and anticipates the heating or cooling requirements. This heuristic may use real-time and historic geographic weather trends and other factors combined with learned occupancy patterns to determine when the enclosure needs cooling or heating. A temperature sensor disposed inside the housing may also be provided to detect the ambient temperature in the vicinity of the thermostat. The PIR motion sensor and temperature sensor may be similar toPIR motion sensor330 andtemperature sensor334 respectively illustrated inFIG. 6 as previously described.
• Integration operations in accordance with the present invention may further attach a grille member along a forward-facing surface of the housing and placed over the radiation receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor (906). As previously described, the grille member may substantially conceal and protects the PIR motion sensor disposed inside the housing. Concealing the PIR motion sensor promotes a visually pleasing quality of the thermostat as well as protects the PIR motion sensor during manufacture, shipment, installation and use. In some implementations, the grille member may be similar togrille member324 previously described and illustrated in accordance withFIG. 3A. Accordingly, the grille member may be manufactured from one or more materials selected from a set of materials including: metal, plastic, glass, carbon-composite, metallic-carbon composite and metallic alloy. The grille member may be a thermally conductive material such as a metal or metal alloy and may be thermally coupled to the temperature sensor also disposed inside the housing of the thermostat. In some implementations, thermally coupling the temperature sensor to the grille member assists with the temperature sensors ability to measure an ambient temperature of air measured outside of the housing rather than inside of the housing.
• While examples and implementations have been described, they should not serve to limit any aspect of the present invention. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Indeed, while the occupancy sensor positioned behind the grille member is characterized in one or more embodiments supra as being a PIR sensor, for which the above-described configurations are particularly advantageous, the scope of the present teachings is not so limited. Moreover, it is to be appreciated that while the grille member is characterized in one or more embodiments supra as being generally forward-facing, which is useful for more common scenarios in which the thermostat is mounted on a wall at a moderate height above the floor that makes it easy to reach, the scope of the present teachings is not so limited. By way of example, there is provided in some further embodiments a thermostat, comprising a housing including a region of interest-facing surface (ROI-facing surface), where the ROI corresponds to the relevant area or volume of the house (or other enclosure) for which occupancy or occupancy-related events are to be sensed. The thermostat further includes an occupancy sensor disposed inside the housing and used to sense occupancy in the ROI, the occupancy sensor having at least one receiving surface and being able to detect the presence and/or movement of the occupant in the ROI. The thermostat further includes a grille member having one or more openings and included along the ROI-facing surface of the housing and placed over the one or more receiving surfaces of the occupancy sensor that substantially conceals and protects the occupancy sensor disposed inside the housing, whereby the concealment of the occupancy sensor by the grille member promotes a visually pleasing quality of the thermostat yet permits the occupancy sensor to effectively detect the presence and/or movement of the occupant in the ROI. The ROI-facing surface can be a forward-facing surface for a conventional wall-mounted location, or can be a downward-facing surface (including a diagonally-outward downward angle) for a mounting location that is above a doorway, for example, such that persons going in and out of the room are sensed. The occupancy sensor can include, for example, one or more of a PIR sensor, an actively transmitting proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, and an ultrasound sensor. In the case of a PIR sensor and a mounting location over the doorway, the slotted openings in the grille member can be oriented in a direction normal to the door opening, such that movement toward and away from the door is more optimally sensed. It is to be further appreciated that the term thermostat, as used hereinabove and hereinbelow, can include thermostats having direct control wires to an HVAC system, and can further include thermostats that do not connect directly with the HVAC system, but that sense an ambient temperature at one location in an enclosure and cooperatively communicate by wired or wireless data connections with a separate thermostat unit located elsewhere in the enclosure, wherein the separate thermostat unit does have direct control wires to the HVAC system. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the above-described implementations, but instead is defined by the appended claims in light of their full scope of equivalents.

Claims (26)

1. A thermostat, comprising:

a housing including a forward-facing surface;

a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor disposed inside the housing and used to sense occupancy in the vicinity of the thermostat, the PIR motion sensor having a radiation receiving surface and being able to detect the lateral movement of an occupant in front of said forward-facing surface of said housing; and

a grille member having one or more openings and included along the forward-facing surface of the housing and placed over the radiation receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor that substantially conceals and protects the PIR motion sensor disposed inside the housing, whereby the concealment of the PIR motion sensor by the grille member promotes a visually pleasing quality of the thermostat yet permits the PIR motion sensor to effectively detect the lateral movement of the occupant.

2. The thermostat ofclaim 1, wherein said grille member openings are slit-like openings oriented along a substantially horizontal direction, said substantially horizontal direction corresponding to the lateral movement of the occupant.

3. The thermostat ofclaim 1, wherein the grille member is comprised of one or more materials selected from a set of materials including: metal, plastic, glass, carbon-composite, and metallic alloy.

4. The thermostat ofclaim 1 further comprising one or more temperature sensors disposed inside the housing with at least one temperature sensor thermally coupled to the grille member.

5. The thermostat ofclaim 4 wherein the grille member facilitates the at least one temperature sensor's ability to measure an ambient temperature of air outside of the housing.

6. The thermostat ofclaim 4 wherein the grille member is comprised of a material having high thermal conductivity.

7. The thermostat ofclaim 3, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is thermally coupled to the grille using a thermally conductive paste applied to the at least one temperature sensor and an inward facing surface of the grille member.

8. The thermostat ofclaim 1, wherein the grille member incorporated in the forward-facing surface of the housing may be used control the PIR motion sensor's sensitivity to the height of occupants by varying a vertical span of one or more openings on the grille member that pass the emitted radiation to the receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor.

9. The thermostat ofclaim 8 wherein the grille member incorporated in the forward-facing surface of the housing may be used control the PIR motion sensor's sensitivity to the height of occupants by changing a number of rows of the plurality of substantially horizontal slit-like openings that pass infrared radiation to the receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor.

10. The thermostat ofclaim 1, wherein the grille member incorporated in the forward-facing surface of the housing further comprises a mask member attached to a back portion of the grille member, wherein the sensitivity to the height of occupants may be varied depending on the coverage by the mask member of the plurality of substantially horizontal slit-like openings used to pass the emitted radiation to the receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor.

11. A method of integrating occupancy sensing capabilities in a thermostat, comprising:

providing a housing for the thermostat including a forward-facing surface;

providing a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor disposed inside the housing and used to sense occupancy in the vicinity of the thermostat, the PIR motion sensor having a radiation receiving surface and being able to detect the lateral movement of an occupant in front of said forward-facing surface of the housing; and

attaching a grille member along the forward-facing surface of the housing and placed over the radiation receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor, wherein the grille member substantially conceals and protects the PIR motion sensor disposed inside the housing promoting a visually pleasing quality of said thermostat, whereby one or more slit-like openings in the grille-member enables the PIR motion sensor to detect lateral movement of an occupant in front of said forward-facing surface of the housing of the thermostat.

12. The method ofclaim 11, wherein said grille member is comprised of one or more materials selected from a set of materials including: metal, plastic, glass, carbon-composite, metallic-carbon composite and metallic alloy.

13. The method ofclaim 11 further comprising one or more temperature sensors disposed inside the housing with at least one temperature sensor thermally coupled to said grille member.

14. The method ofclaim 13 wherein said grille member facilitates the at least one temperature sensor's ability to measure an ambient temperature of air measured outside of the housing rather than inside of the housing.

15. The method ofclaim 12 wherein the grille member is comprised of a material having high thermal conductivity.

16. The thermostat ofclaim 13, wherein said at least one temperature sensor is in contact with an inward facing surface of said grille member by a thermally conductive paste.

17. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the grille member incorporated in the forward-facing surface of the housing may be used control the PIR motion sensor's sensitivity to the height of occupants by varying a number of rows of a plurality of substantially horizontal slit-like openings that pass infrared radiation to the receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor.

19. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the grille member incorporated in the forward-facing surface of the housing further comprises a mask member attached to a backside portion of the grille member, wherein the sensitivity to the height of occupants may be varied depending on the coverage by the mask member of a plurality of substantially horizontal slit-like openings used to pass infrared radiation to the receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor.

20. A thermostat, comprising:

a housing for said thermostat including a forward-facing surface;

a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor coplanar with the forward-facing surface of the housing and used to sense occupancy in the vicinity of the thermostat, the PIR motion sensor having Fresnel lens on a surface of the PIR motion sensor that directs infrared radiation towards infrared sensitive sensor elements below the surface of the PIR motion sensor, wherein the infrared sensitive sensor elements detect the infrared radiation emitted towards said forward-facing surface by the lateral movement of an occupant in front of said forward-facing surface of said housing;

a temperature sensor disposed inside the housing and further including an upper thermal sensor and a lower thermal sensor positioned along a plane substantially normal and adjacent to the PIR motion sensor, wherein the upper thermal sensor tends to collect temperature data associated with an area outside the thermostat and the lower thermal sensor tends to collect temperature data associated with an interior of the housing for the thermostat and the temperature data from the lower thermal sensor is taken into consideration in view of the temperature data from the upper thermal sensor in determining an ambient temperature; and

a grille member placed along the forward-facing surface of the housing and over the surface of the PIR motion sensor, wherein the grille member has a plurality of slit-like openings that enable the PIR motion sensor to detect infrared radiation emitted by the lateral movement of the occupant, wherein the grille member is comprised of a thermally conductive material and also placed in close proximity to the temperature sensor and acts as a thermal antenna to at least one thermal sensor associated with the temperature sensor thereby enhancing the ability of the temperature sensor to gather temperature data outside of the housing and detect an ambient temperature of an environment.

21. The thermostat ofclaim 20, wherein the plurality of slit-like openings of said grille member are positioned along a substantially horizontal direction that facilitates the ability of the PIR motion sensor to detect the lateral movement of an occupant in front of the forward-facing surface of the housing.

22. The thermostat ofclaim 20, wherein the grille member is comprised of one or more materials selected from a set of materials including: metal, plastic, glass, carbon-composite, and metallic alloy.

23. The thermostat ofclaim 20 wherein at least one of the plurality of temperature sensors disposed inside the housing are thermally coupled to the grille member.

24. The thermostat ofclaim 23, wherein at least one of the plurality of temperature sensors is thermally coupled to the grille using a thermally conductive paste applied to the at least one thermal sensor associated with the temperature sensor along an inward facing surface of the grille member.

25. The thermostat ofclaim 20, wherein the grille member incorporated in the forward-facing surface of the housing may be used control the PIR motion sensor's sensitivity to the height of occupants by varying a vertical span of one or more openings on the grille member that pass the emitted radiation to the receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor.

26. The thermostat ofclaim 20 wherein the grille member incorporated in the forward-facing surface of the housing may be used control the PIR motion sensor's sensitivity to the height of occupants by changing a number of rows of the plurality of substantially horizontal slit-like openings that pass the emitted radiation to the receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor.

27. The thermostat ofclaim 20, wherein the grille member incorporated in the forward-facing surface of the housing further comprises a mask member attached to a back portion of the grille member, wherein the sensitivity to the height of occupants may be varied depending on a coverage by the mask member of the plurality of substantially horizontal slit-like openings used to pass the emitted radiation to the receiving surface of the PIR motion sensor.

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